Hello Klaroliners :)

I started this one-shot shortly after 5x11 aired. I loved the scene of the Salvatore brothers talking about Elena with 'Let her go' by Passenger playing in the background. I thought that the song fit the Klaroline-goodbye also very well and decided to try to write the story with parts of the song. Unfortunately, I lost all the inspiration for it and abandoned the half-written one-shot. Since Klaroline is finally rising again in TVD's newest episode I felt compelled to post this story before the phone call airs.
I'm not a smut-writer so sorry to anyone expecting to read about their hot hybrid-sex ;)

I hope you enjoy it. (I own nothing except my own words.)

"Hello Caroline" She looked at me with that familiar "Seriously" look of hers. It's incredible how she managed to become even more beautiful than the last time I saw her. I knew it was the right decision to take a trip to my favourite little godforsaken town.

Flashback

Staring at the bottom of your glass

Hoping one day you'll make a dream last

But dreams come slow and they go so fast

You see her when you close your eyes

Maybe one day you'll understand why

Everything you touch surely dies

I was sitting at the bar – as usually – and Cami served me my third glass of scotch. "Now you're in a good mood today. What's the matter?" I stared at the pretty blonde human and couldn't help but think of another blonde who had captured my heart a while ago. She has occupied my mind from time to time since I've returned to New Orleans. My city. Which I plan to rule again rather sooner than later. I am the most powerful being on earth after all. But these bloody witches and Marcel keep giving me a hard time.

"Oookay, I'll postpone this impromptu therapy session, my less broody customers are waiting" Camille announced and walked over to a table of – which I recognized immediately – was occupied by vampires. Marcel's vampires to be precise.
Suddenly my telephone started ringing and my sister's name flashed on the display.

"What is it, Rebekah?" "God Nik, your mood is as delightful as always" I rolled my eyes at her antics. "Rebekah…." "Okay, no need to give me that menacing expansion of my name. I've heard news which will definitely please you." I sighed. This girl really could beat around the bush sometimes. "For heaven's sake Rebekah, can you please come to the point already?" I heard huffing on the other line. "Alright, alright. Katerina Petrova is dying."

Well THAT caught my interest finally. "What do you mean she's dying?" Rebekah was clearly satisfied that she could provide some interesting news. "You already know she was turned into a human. But apparently she can't keep vampire blood in her system and her body is starting to catch up on living for half a century. So she's dying of old age"
I could not believe what she was telling me. "Who told you that?" Rebekah laughed lightly. "Damon Salvatore thought we would like to hear about Katherine's upcoming demise. He seemed very enthusiastic about it"

"Does Elijah know about that?" Silence. "No. He's very preoccupied with Haley anyway. He finally managed to move on from Katherine, we shouldn't throw him back in her clutches"
I let that thought sink in. Elijah was definitely becoming closer with Haley. A rather unconventional situation considering the circumstances but as long as he kept his hands off my child I did not care.

"Alright. I have to see that for myself. I'm going to visit Mystic Falls" I heard Rebekah's loud intake of breath. "I'll come with you!" Very subtle, sister. "Why, to see that busboy of yours? Wasn't it enough to spend so much time and money on him in Europe?" She scoffed. "Please. As if you don't look forward to seeing Caroline again. The only difference is that Matt actually likes me which I can't profess for Caroline" I growled. "Watch your words little sister or I'm going to go to Mystic Falls alone" I did not bother to say goodbye before hanging up. However, I could not help but smile (only a little, of course).

Well you see her when you fall asleep
But never to touch and never to keep
'Cause you loved her too much and you dive too deep

"Why can't we just drive up to the Salvatore home? It is not like these people can forbid us to see Katherine" Rebekah was not very pleased about parking on a forest road near the Boarding house. Maybe she should have thought better than to wear those ridiculous high heeled boots. "Now, now, sister. The sole purpose of our stay in this godforsaken town is to make sure that this is not another one of Katherine's little tricks. Come on now!"

Shortly before reaching our destination, Rebekah stopped suddenly. "Hold on. Did you hear that?" I paused and listened. There were voices coming from our left. I listened closer. Was that … the Gilbert boy speaking? Shouldn't he be dead? I looked at Rebekah who rolled her eyes and mouthed "resurrected". Probably by the Bennett witch who was talking to him. It was the third voice that caught my interest.

"Hello? Is no one gonna comment on the fact that Stefan slept with Katherine? I mean, that's kind of a big deal!" I smirked at her outraged tone while Rebekah muttered "Gross!" with utter disgust.
"And now we are hearing about the sex life of the witch and the Gilbert boy. Don't they have anything interesting to say? What are those idiots even looking for?" I urged Rebekah to shut up because I was fairly sure that Caroline was just talking about 'scandalous sex'.
Unfortunately, she did not elaborate further because the Bennett witch decided to split up to find Matt. Now that seemed to draw Rebekah's interest. "I suppose you will try to find the busboy faster than his friends?" She scoffed. "Please Nik, these people are way to incompetent to complete even such an easy task. Have fun finding your little blonde friend" and off she ran.
I on the other hand chose the opposite side, the way Caroline went to be precise.

End flashback

'Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast

"Sorry, Matt's buried alive, no time to chat" she said and ran away with enhanced speed. Naturally, I took that as an invitation to follow her. When catching up to her, I could not contain myself but ask her if she wasn't curious about my sudden return to Mystic Falls.
"I literally just 'whooshed' at the sight of your face. So no!"
Well, I would be lying if I said that I was not expecting her to be at least a little friendlier. Then I told her about finding out that Katerina Petrova was dying. Of course she understood that I wanted to 'gloat over her corpse to be' as she so charmingly put it – and she was not pleased about it. Leave it to Caroline to feel sorry for the ruthless woman who turned her into a vampire and wanted to use her for a sacrifice. And our cat-and-mouse-game apparently was not over since she ran away, again. That called for drastic measures.

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low

Sure enough, mentioning Tyler caught her attention. Her shocked reaction confirmed that she thought that I killed that useless fool. Not that he didn't deserve every awful thing that happened to him. However I decided quite some time ago that I would not kill him for her sake. That him and Caroline broke up was satisfying enough.

"Because I made him choose: me or his stupid revenge fantasy – he chose wrong. I suggest that you learn from his mistakes and let Katherine die in peace. Dying sucks enough as it is, no need to rub anyone's nose in it!" and off she ran again. So Tyler, that fool, had chosen to get his revenge in New Orleans instead of living happily with Caroline, who was not in favour of that whole matter.

Same old empty feeling in your heart

Time to find out if she would grant me the same choice as Tyler. She acted confused to my question. Denial is a strong emotional mechanism. She laughed it off and scolded me for distracting her while her friend was in danger. Knowing that I was getting close to my answers I informed her that I already took care of rescuing her friend. She will probably find out later that Rebekah rescued him anyways.

But never to touch and never to keep

"And what is that?" She looked at me questioningly. The bickering and small-talk was refreshing but now it was time for serious talk. I wanted her confession. About me. And that would not come easily which is why I decided to promise her to never come back to her. She could be honest about our connection since I would not bother her anymore.

She stared at me and finally sighed. "I'm in college. I'm building a life for myself. I have plans and a future and things that I want and none of those things involve you, okay?!" Now, that hurt.
"I see" – "No, you don't! Because yes, I cover our connection with hostility because, yes I hate myself for the truth so if you promise to walk away like you said and never come back then yes, I will be honest with you, I will be honest with you about what I want!" I thought about her words and relented. I promised her to walk away and never come back.
She stepped closer and muttered "Good" and then she proceeded to put her perfect lips on mine.

I could count the events that managed to surprise me in the 1000 years of my life on two hands. Caroline Forbes admitting the existence of our connection and kissing me right after would now be included on that list. I knew of course that she was a glorious kisser since my short body-swap with Tyler but kissing her in my own body was quite a different experience.

She broke away and looked in my eyes. I could not help myself and smiled at her. She gave me one of her bright smiles herself and that was when things started to get heated.
To say she got her 'hot hybrid-sex' is quite the understatement. I for one could not recall a sexual adventure in the last centuries that could remotely compare to the afternoon with Caroline in the woods. And from her very loud proclamations of my name I assume she couldn't either.

'Cause you loved her too much and you dive too deep

The drive to the airport in Richmond – it was already dark outside which implied that Caroline and I lost track of time during our tryst in the woods – was tellingly quiet. Rebekah was probably preoccupied with thoughts about her quarterback judging from the ridiculously dreamy look on her face. I on the other hand was in the middle of an emotional debacle. While my visit to Mystic Falls turned out better than I could have ever imagined, it was a bittersweet bliss. I had after all promised Caroline to never come back to her. As a consequence, the only possibility to see her again would be if she came to find me.

"Now tell me, Nik, how was your encounter with Miss Mystic Falls?" Rebekah asked with a hint of amusement in her voice. I smiled.
"It went surprisingly fantastic. Though I promised her to never come back to that town" Rebekah could not hide her astonishment at my revelation. "Now that is an abrupt ending to your ludicrous infatuation with that baby vampire"
Smiling, I shook my head slowly. "You might not understand, sister, but as it turned out, I need to let her go … at least for now" Rebekah scoffed but out of the corner of my eye I could see her smiling.

Promising Caroline to stay away from her would assure her the freedom that she secretly craves. One day she will decide that she's had enough of her small-town and make use of her eternal life. She will move on with her life and I will move on with mine in New Orleans. I will raise my child and reclaim my city.
And maybe one day she will finally take me up on my offer to show her the world. A thousand years needed to pass until I found the light to my darkness; I was willing to wait another millennium to let her find her way to me.

I promised her to not come back to Mystic Falls. Nevertheless, I promised her to be her last love as well. And I intend to keep both promises. However long it takes.

'Cause you only need the light when it's burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go

That's it! Thanks for reading and please don't hate me. The ending turned out a little sappy but Klaroline is a pretty epic ship and I couldn't help myself.